Thursday, May 31, 2012

This weekend, buy some buttermilk and some heavy cream. Find a large glass jar. Fill it halfway up with heavy cream. Add half again as much buttermilk. Stir. (Recipe note: 2 parts heavy cream to 1 part buttermilk. There was some confusion.)

Let it fester at room temperature. All weekend. Without a lid. Leave it in your windowsill or next to your stove or on your kitchen table. If there are any kids around, give them the job of stirring it a few times a day. And tasting it.

It will thicken. It will start to make your mouth pucker. Take it further than you think you should (in hot and humid weather, the souring process can happen very quickly so be vigilant). When you're pleased with the flavor, cover and store it in the fridge.

I'll be back next week with a few things to do with your crème fraiche. But you need to make some first. And it takes a few days.

(A few of my crème fraiche Instagram photos so you can see what's coming...)

oh god. the roaches. the rats. the mice. i lived with them for 12 years in nyc. i forgot. this week i've had birds and squirrels in my kitchen. maybe they're been drawn to the creme fraiche!

cover that creme fraiche. still works fine. most people do it that way anyway. i just like the idea that bacteria from the air (like a sourdough starter) is getting into the mixture. but i'm insane. and i'm sure the nyc health department would give me a failing grade. it was hot in berkeley today. i've had some going for 12 hours. it's getting thick and intense very fast.

Google won't let me reply to my first comment! grr! No squirrels yet (in the apartment at least) but definitely a few unwelcome guest bugs! With the heat and humidity, I'm guessing my creme freshe wont take long! Can't wait for the other recipes! School starts Monday so I need to start a list of weekly meal ideas :)

Arg! Still can't reply! Recipes will be so helpful!! Cooking is my island of sanity :) and your blog is top 3 for where I got for inspiration :) Friend me on FB if you want to read about the school insanity :)

I love creme fraiche! I've always made it with just 2 tablespoons of buttermilk and covered, but I'm going to try it your way today. It is nice and warm here in Minneapolis, perfect for bacteria growth. ;)

I just caught up on the last several blogs and now I MUST make my own creme fraiche. When I get back from vacation and swing into full-time mommy mode, this is high on the to-do list. Thanks for always inspiring new ideas! (Making your Roman-Style Gnocchi for dinner tomorrow night.)

About Me

In the nineties, I worked in pastry at New York City's Bouley, Michael's, and Nobu. I tired quickly of sugar and burning my forearms and never sleeping. Fifteen years later I started "Dash and Bella," named after my son (7) and daughter (12). This is where I tell my stories about the intersection of cooking and parenting.